Center Supported Bond Joint

ABSTRACT

A center support sleeve for a bonded rail joint bar that includes a body having a head portion, a web portion, and a base portion. The head portion depends from the web portion, which depends from the base portion. The head portion and the base portion are bent in the same direction thereby defining a recess area therebetween. The web portion of the body also defines a plurality of holes.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/133,167 filed on May 19, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/573,117 filed on May 21, 2004, both ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to insulated rail joint bars forelectrically isolating parts of a rail system from each other and, moreparticularly, to a center support sleeve for a bonded rail joint bar.

2. Description of Related Art

A rail system, which permits more than one train to travel on onestretch of track of rail, is generally divided into sections or blocks.The purpose of dividing railroad rails of a rail system into sections isto detect the presence of a train on a section of rail at any giventime. Each rail section is electrically isolated from all other sectionsso that a high electrical resistance can be measured over the railsection when no train is present in that section. When a train enters arail section, the train will short circuit adjacent railroad rails inwhich the electrical resistance in the rail section drops, therebyindicating the presence of a train.

Railroad rails are generally welded to each other or attached to eachother by a steel joint. Referring to FIG. 1, a typical railroad rail 10having a first side 12 and a second side 14 includes a body 16 having ahead 18, a web 20, and a base 22 having an upper surface 24. The head 18is connected to the web 20, which is connected to the base 22. A webrecess 26 is defined between the head 18 and the base 22 on the firstside 12 and the second side 14 of the body 16 of the railroad rail 10.

There are many different types and shapes of rail joint bars. FIG. 1shows a typical prior art rail joint bar 30 that can be used to attachrailroad rails to each other. The prior art rail joint bar 30 generallyincludes a body 32 having a front surface 34 and a back surface 36 anddefining a head section 38, a web section 40 and a base section 44. Thehead section 38 depends from the web section 40, which depends from thebase section 44. The web section 40 defines a plurality of holes 42 forreceiving fasteners (one hole 42 shown in FIG. 9). The base section 44having a bottom surface 46 extends away from the front surface 34 of thebody 32 of the rail joint bar 30. The prior art rail joint bar 30 isadapted to be received within the web recess 26 of the railroad rail 10,wherein the bottom surface 46 of the body 32 of the rail joint bar 30 isadjacent the upper surface 24 of the base 22 of the railroad rail 10.

High-performance, non-metallic rail joint bars are typically used forelectrically-isolating adjacent rail sections of a rail system in orderto create an electrically-isolated section. However, these non-metallicrail joint bars are very expensive because of the specialhigh-performance material needed to endure the high tensile and flexuralforces exerted on a rail joint bar as the wheels of a locomotive or railcar pass over the rail joint bar. These tensile and flexural forces arehigher at a center portion of the rail joint bar where the two railroadrails are joined. An alternative to the non-metallic rail joint bar is asteel rail joint bar having electrically-insulating adhesive material A,such as epoxy, bonded to the back surface 36 of the rail joint bar 30(shown in FIG. 1). However, these epoxies will oftentimes peel off ofthe bonded rail joint bar 30, particularly at the center where thetensile and flexural forces are the highest, thereby resulting in aweaker bonded rail joint bar 30 with less electrical insulatingcapability. It is, therefore, desirable to have a support sleevepositioned between a bonded rail joint bar and where two railroad railsare joined in order to spread the impact loads of the rail cars awayfrom the center portion of the rail joint bar, thus preventing damage tothe bonded rail joint bar at this center location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a center support sleeve for a bondedrail joint bar that includes a body having a head portion, a webportion, and a base portion. The head portion depends from the webportion, which depends from the base portion. The head portion and thebase portion are bent in the same direction thereby defining a recessarea therebetween. The web portion of the body also defines a pluralityof holes or slots.

The present invention also provides for a railroad rail assembly thatincludes two abutting railroad rails and a prior art rail joint barattached to the abutting railroad rails. An adhesive is sandwichedbetween a back surface of the rail joint bar and the two abuttingrailroad rails. A center support sleeve as previously described issandwiched between a center portion of the back surface of the railjoint bar and the two abutting railroad rails, wherein the supportsleeve is adapted to spread the impact loads of rail cars away from thecenter portion of the rail joint bar.

The present invention provides for a method for securing two abuttingrailroad rails that includes the steps of joining two railroad rails endto end and positioning an electrically-insulating spacer between theends of the two railroad rails positioned end to end. Next, an adhesiveis placed on a surface of a rail joint bar and a center support sleeveis positioned on a center portion of the surface of the rail joint bar.Finally, the rail joint bar having the adhesive and the support sleeveis attached to the railroad rails via a fastener, wherein the supportsleeve is sandwiched between the railroad rails and the rail joint bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical prior art rail joint barco-acting with a railroad rail;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a center support sleeve made inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of other embodiments identified by dashedlines of the center support sleeve shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an elevational side view of the sleeve shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of the center support sleeve shown inFIG. 2 attached to a prior art rail joint bar;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a center support sleeve made inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 a is a perspective view of other embodiments identified by dashedlines of the center support sleeve shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is an elevational side view of the sleeve shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational side view of the center support sleeve shown inFIG. 5 attached to a prior art rail joint bar;

FIG. 8 is an elevation side view of a rail joint assembly made inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the rail joint assembly taken along linesIX-IX shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the present invention provides a center supportsleeve 50 that is adapted to be sandwiched between a center portion of aprior art rail joint bar 30 and a pair of railroad rails 10, 10′(designated as area A1 shown in FIG. 8). The support sleeve 50 extendspartially around the rail joint bar 30 as shown in FIG. 4 in order tospread the impact loads of the rail cars away from the center portion ofthe rail joint bar 30. The sleeve 50, which has an end profile similarto the back surface 36 of the prior art rail joint bar 30 includes abody 52 having a first end 54 and a second end 56 and defining a headportion 58, a web portion 60 and a base portion 62. The body 52 of thesleeve 50 includes a first surface 64 and a second surface 66, whereinthe head portion 58 depends from the web portion 60, which depends fromthe base portion 62. The head portion 58 and the base portion 62 arebent in a direction toward the first surface 64 of the web portion 60,thus defining a U-shaped recess area 68 therebetween. The web portion 60also defines a plurality of holes 61 (shown in FIG. 2) for receivingfasteners. Alternatively, the length of the sleeve 50 may be shortenedby removing the sleeve 50 at dashed lines E, thereby removing endportions such that an open-ended hole or slot 61 may be provided therein(shown in FIG. 2 a). As used herein, “holes” means holes and/oropen-ended slots. Referring to FIG. 2 a, the base portion 62 and aportion of the web portion 60 may also be removed from sleeve 50 (atdashed line C), thereby providing a sleeve with only a head portion 58and a partial web portion 60. Further, both the end portions (dashedlines E) and a portion of the web portion 60 (dashed line C) may beremoved from sleeve 50, thereby providing a shortened sleeve having apartial web portion 60.

The sleeve 50 can be made of an electrically-insulating material, suchas fiberglass or a polymeric material such as polyurethane. Referring toFIG. 8, a sleeve 50 made of fiberglass is preferably used to preventdamage to a center portion of the rail joint bar 30, by spreading theimpact loads of rail cars away from area A1 of the rail joint bar 30where the tensile and flexural forces are the greatest. For example, afiberglass sleeve 50 (e.g., having multiple plies, for example, fiveplies where adjacent plies strands are arranged transverse to eachother) can generally support a load of at least 100,000 psi tensilestrength and have a compression strength of at least 70,000 psi. Incontrast to a sleeve 50 made of fiberglass, a sleeve 50 made ofpolyurethane provides a dampening effect in area A1, thereby preventingdamage to the center portion of the rail joint bar 30 by allowing forgreater flexibility in area A1 of the railroad rails 10, 10′ than in theareas adjacent A1 (i.e., lateral portions of rail joint bar 30). Forexample, a polyurethane sleeve 50 having a thickness of about 0.060inches can generally support a load of at least 6500 psi tensilestrength and at least 270 percent elasticity. The thickness and thelength of the sleeve 50 can vary, however, the length of the sleeve 50should be long enough wherein at least two of the center portion holes42 of the rail joint bar 30 align with the holes 61 in the sleeve 50.

FIGS. 5-7 show another embodiment of a center support sleeve 70 that issimilar to sleeve 50, except for the differences noted below. Likereference numerals are used for like parts. The first end 54 of the headportion 58 is bent toward the base portion 62 thus forming anarcuate-shaped lip 72 adapted to fit the contour of the head section 38of the body 32 of the prior art rail joint bar 30 as shown in FIG. 7.FIG. 5 a also shows other embodiments as represented by dashed lines C,E and C and E, of sleeve 70 similar to the embodiments of sleeve 50shown in FIG. 2 a.

When two abutting railroad rails 10, 10′ are joined together using aprior art rail joint bar 30 as shown in FIG. 8, a rail bonding adhesiveA (shown in FIG. 1), such as an epoxy, is typically interposed betweenthe rail joint bar 30 and the railroad rails 10, 10′, thereby providingfor a stronger and more durable electrically-insulated bond joint. Theseepoxies, which can be any of the types well known in the art, generallyhave a shear strength in a range of 3,000 to 4,000 psi and an elasticityranging from 0.001 to 0.003 inch per inch elasticity. However, becauseof the high tensile and flexural forces exerted on the railroad rails10, 10′, particular at area A1 (shown in FIG. 8) where the two railroadrails 10, 10′ are joined, these epoxies will oftentimes peel off of therail joint bar 30, resulting in a weaker bonded rail joint bar 30 andless electrical insulating capability. The sleeve 50, when used incombination with the rail joint bar 30, may eliminate the need for anepoxy in area A1, thus eliminating any potential unzipping of the epoxyfrom the rail joint bar 30.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the present invention provides for a railjoint assembly 80 that includes a first railroad rail 10 joined to asecond railroad rail 10′ and having a spacer 82 therebetween. The railjoint assembly 80 further includes two prior art rail joint bars 30,30′, wherein rail joint bar 30 is fastened to a first side 12 of therailroad rails 10, 10′, and rail joint bar 30′, which is identical torail joint bar 30, is fastened to a second side 14 of the railroad rails10, 10′ as shown in FIG. 9. A sleeve 50, as previously described, issandwiched in area A1 between the first side 12 of railroad rails 10,10′ and rail joint bar 30, and a second sleeve 50′, which is identicalto sleeve 50, is sandwiched in area A1 between the second side 14 ofrailroad rails 10, 10′ and rail joint bar 30′. The sleeves 50, 50′ arepositioned intermediate of the ends of the rail joint bars 30, 30′(i.e., in area A1). The holes 42 in rail joint bar 30 and the holes 61in sleeve 50 are aligned with the corresponding holes 42′ in rail jointbar 30′ and the holes 61′ in sleeve 50′. A fastener F, such as a bolt,then passes through each corresponding hole 42, 42′ of rail joint bars30, 30′, each corresponding hole 61, 61′ of sleeves 50, 50′, and therespective railroad rail 10, 10′. A nut N can then be threaded or weldedat an end of the fastener F. A rail bonding adhesive A made ofelectrically-insulating material, such as an epoxy, can be dispersedacross either the entire back surface 36, 36′ or only on the lateralportions of the back surface 36, 36′ of the rail joint bars 30, 30′,respectively, in order to hold the sleeves 50, 50′ in place, thuspreventing movement of the rail ends due to temperature changes. Also,an adhesive such as an epoxy, silicon or rubber cement or seal (notshown) can be placed between the sleeves 50, 50′ and the railroad rails10, 10′, respectively, and/or the rail joint bars 30, 30′ and thesleeves 50, 50′ in order to prevent shortening of the sleeves 50, 50′due to moisture. In the area adjacent area A1, the rail joint bars 30,30′ may be attached to the railroad rail 10, 10′ using fiberglass beadedplates such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,331, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

The surfaces defining the holes 42, 42′ in rail joint bars 30, 30′ canbe at least partially surrounded by an electrically insulated bushing 43(shown in phantom in FIG. 9) to prevent the fasteners F from conductingelectric current between the railroad rails 10, 10′ and the rail jointbars 30, 30′, thereby assuring electrical insulation of the rail jointassembly 80. Likewise, washers 45 when used in conjunction withfasteners F may also be made of an electrically insulating material.Also, in lieu of the two bushings 43, a single bushing (not shown) canalso be used.

The present invention provides for a method of securing two abuttingrailroad rails 10, 10′ using prior art rail joint bars 30, 30′, whereinthe abutting railroad rails 10, 10′ are electrically isolated from oneanother. First, an end of the first railroad rail 10 is joined to an endof the second railroad rail 10′ and an electrically-insulating spacer 82is positioned therebetween as shown in FIG. 8. Second, a rail bondingadhesive A, such as an epoxy, may be dispersed across the back surface36, 36′ of the rail joint bars 30, 30′ or only on the lateral portionsof the back surface 36, 36′ of the rail joint bars 30, 30′,respectively. Third, a first sleeve 50 is positioned on a center portionof the back surface 36 of rail joint bar 30, and a second sleeve 50′ ispositioned on a center portion of the back surface 36′ of rail joint bar30′, wherein the holes 61, 61′ in sleeves 50, 50′ are aligned with theholes 42, 42′ in rail joint bars 30, 30′, respectively. Fourth, railjoint bar 30 having the sleeve 50 is placed on a first side 12 withinthe web recess 26, and rail joint bar 30′ having the sleeve 50′ isplaced on a second side 14 within the web recess 26 at the centerlocation (area A1) of the railroad rails 10, 10′. Next, the rail jointbars 30, 30′ are attached to the railroad rails 10, 10′ via fasteners Fpassing through each corresponding hole 42, 42′ of rail joint bars 30,30′, each corresponding hole 61, 61′ of sleeves 50, 50′ and therespective railroad rail 10, 10′. A nut N can be placed at an end of thefasteners F and tightened. When the sleeves 50, 50′ are made ofpolyurethane, it is desirable that the fasteners F be tightened furtherbefore the adhesive material A on the rail joint bars 30, 30′ completelycures after being applied. An adhesive such as epoxy, silicon or rubbercement (not shown) can also be placed on the first surface 64, 64′ andthe second surface 66, 66′ of the sleeves 50, 50′, respectively, beforeattachment of the rail joint bars 30, 30′ to the first side 12 and thesecond side 14 of the railroad rails 10, 10′, respectively.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art thatmodifications may be made to the invention without departing from theconcepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, theparticular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative onlyand are not limiting to the scope of the invention, which is to be giventhe full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalentsthereof.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A rail joint assembly, comprising: two abuttingrailroad rails having abutting ends connected by a bonded joint; a railjoint bar attached to the abutting railroad rails, the rail joint barincluding a body having a length defined between opposite ends of therail joint bar, a front surface and a back surface and defining a headsection, a web section depending from the head section and a basesection depending from the web section; the web section having aplurality of holes defined in the body, wherein the holes are adapted toreceive fasteners for securing a rail joint bar to two abutting railroadrails; an adhesive sandwiched between the back surface of the body ofthe rail joint bar and the two abutting railroad rails; and a centersupport sleeve made of an electrically-insulating material sandwichedbetween a center portion of the back surface of the body of the railjoint bar and the two abutting railroad rails, the support sleeveconfigured to spread the impact loads of rail cars away from the centerportion of the rail joint bar, wherein the support sleeve is positionedintermediate of the ends of the rail joint bar and extends across theabutting ends of the two abutting railroad rails and increases theelectrical insulating capabilities of the rail joint assembly, wherein acompressive strength of the rail joint assembly in a region occupied bythe center support sleeve is different than a compressive strength ofthe rail joint assembly at the ends of the rail joint bar, and whereinthe support sleeve is capable of supporting a load of at least 100,000psi tensile strength.
 22. The rail joint assembly of claim 21, whereinthe adhesive is dispersed across lateral portions of the rail joint bar.23. The rail joint assembly of claim 21, wherein the adhesive is onlydispersed across lateral portions of the rail joint bar.
 24. The railjoint assembly of claim 21, wherein the adhesive is dispersed across theentire length of the rail joint bar.
 25. The rail joint assembly ofclaim 21, wherein the center support sleeve comprising a body having ahead portion, a web portion, and a base portion, the head portiondepends from the web portion which depends from the base portion,wherein the head portion and the base portion are bent in the samedirection thereby defining a recess area therebetween, and wherein theweb portion of the body defines a plurality of holes adapted to receivefasteners.
 26. The rail joint assembly of claim 21, wherein the adhesiveis dispersed across lateral portions of the back surface of the body ofthe rail joint bar and the sleeve is positioned on a center portion ofthe back surface between the lateral portions of the body of the railjoint bar.
 27. The rail joint assembly of claim 22, comprising aplurality of fasteners passing through the holes in the rail joint barand the holes in the sleeve for securing the rail joint bar to the twoabutting railroad rails.
 28. The rail joint assembly of claim 21,wherein the sleeve has a compression strength of at least 70,000 psi.29. The rail joint assembly of claim 21, wherein the adhesive comprisesan epoxy that is capable of creating a bond of at least 3,000 psi shearstrength and at least 0.001 inch per inch elasticity.
 30. The rail jointassembly of claim 21, wherein the center support sleeve comprising abody having a head portion and a web portion depending from said headportion.
 31. The rail joint assembly of claim 21, wherein thecompressive strength of the rail joint assembly in the region occupiedby the center support sleeve is greater than the compressive strength ofthe rail joint assembly at the opposite ends of the rail joint bar. 32.The rail joint assembly of claim 21, further comprising a layer offiberglass beaded plate sandwiched between the back surface of the bodyof the rail joint bar and the two abutting railroad rails and extendingfrom positions adjacent to the center support sleeve to each end of therail joint bar.
 33. A method for securing two abutting railroad rails,comprising the steps of: joining two railroad rails end to end;positioning an electrically-insulating spacer between the ends of thetwo railroad rails positioned end to end; placing an adhesive on asurface of a rail joint bar; positioning a center support sleeve on acenter portion of the surface of the rail joint bar intermediate ofopposite ends of the rail joint bar; and attaching the rail joint barhaving the adhesive and the support sleeve to the railroad rails via afastener, wherein the support sleeve is sandwiched between the railroadrails and the rail joint bar and extends across the joined ends of thetwo railroad rails, the support sleeve configured to spread the impactloads of rail cars away from the center portion of the rail joint bar,wherein the support sleeve provides a different compressive strength ina region occupied by the center support sleeve than a compressivestrength at the ends of the rail joint bar and wherein the supportsleeve is capable of supporting a load of at least 100,000 psi tensilestrength.
 34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the adhesive isdispersed across lateral portions of the rail joint bar.
 35. The methodas claimed in claim 33, wherein the adhesive is only dispersed acrosslateral portions of the rail joint bar.
 36. The method as claimed inclaim 33, wherein the adhesive is dispersed across the entire length ofthe rail joint bar.
 37. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein theadhesive is dispersed across lateral portions of the surface of the railjoint bar and the support sleeve is positioned on the surface of therail joint bar between the lateral portions thereof.
 38. The method asclaimed in claim 33, further comprising the step of placing an adhesiveon a surface of the sleeve before attaching the rail joint bar to therailroad rails, wherein the adhesive is sandwiched between the railroadrails and the sleeve.
 39. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein thesupport sleeve provides a greater compressive strength in the regionoccupied by the center support sleeve than the compressive strength atthe ends of the rail joint bar.
 40. The method as claimed in claim 33,further comprising the step of positioning a layer of fiberglass beadedplate on portions of the surface of the rail joint bar adjacent to thecenter support sleeve and extending to each end of the rail joint bar.41. A rail joint assembly, comprising: two abutting railroad railshaving abutting ends connected by a bonded joint; a rail joint barattached to the abutting railroad rails, the rail joint bar including abody having a length defined between opposite ends of the rail jointbar, a front surface and a back surface and defining a head section, aweb section depending from the head section and a base section dependingfrom the web section; the web section having a plurality of holesdefined in the body, wherein the holes are adapted to receive fastenersfor securing a rail joint bar to two abutting railroad rails; anadhesive sandwiched between the back surface of the body of the railjoint bar and the two abutting railroad rails; and a center supportsleeve made of an electrically-insulating material sandwiched between acenter portion of the back surface of the body of the rail joint bar andthe two abutting railroad rails, the support sleeve configured to spreadthe impact loads of rail cars away from the center portion of the railjoint bar, wherein the support sleeve is positioned intermediate of theends of the rail joint bar, wherein the support sleeve increases theelectrical insulating capabilities of the rail joint assembly, andwherein a compressive strength of the rail joint assembly in a regionoccupied by the center support sleeve is different than a compressivestrength of the rail joint assembly at the ends of the rail joint bar.42. The rail joint assembly of claim 41, wherein the adhesive isdispersed across lateral portions of the rail joint bar.
 43. The railjoint assembly of claim 41, wherein the adhesive is only dispersedacross lateral portions of the rail joint bar.
 44. The rail jointassembly of claim 41, wherein the adhesive is dispersed across theentire length of the rail joint bar.
 45. The rail joint assembly ofclaim 41, wherein the compressive strength of the rail joint assembly inthe region occupied by the center support sleeve is greater than thecompressive strength of the rail joint assembly at the opposite ends ofthe rail joint bar.
 46. The rail joint assembly of claim 41, furthercomprising a layer of fiberglass material sandwiched between the backsurface of the body of the rail joint bar and the two abutting railroadrails and extending from positions adjacent to the center support sleeveto each end of the rail joint bar.